Flop
The flop is the first three community cards, dealt face up together after the first round of betting in Hold'em and Omaha. It is also the name of the second round of betting, which takes place once those cards are on the table.
The simple explanation
After everyone has acted before the flop, the dealer burns a card and puts three cards in the middle of the table. All players can use them to build their hands. A second round of betting follows, and then the turn and the river come, one card each. By the flop you already know three of the five community cards, so it is where most hands are decided or abandoned.
A closer look
The flop is where hand strength changes the most. A hand like ace-king misses the flop about two times out of three, and a pocket pair flops a set roughly 12 percent of the time. Because three cards arrive at once, the texture of the board (dry, wet, paired, monotone) shapes strategy: who has the range advantage, how often to continue-bet and how much equity draws hold. Professional players study flop textures in detail for that reason.
A practical example
You hold A♥ Q♦ and the flop comes K♠ 7♦ 2♥. You have two overcards and nothing else yet, and a new round of betting begins.
Full explanation
The flop is the first three community cards, dealt face up together after the first round of betting in Hold’em and Omaha. It is also the name of the second round of betting, which takes place once those cards are on the table.
The flop is the first set of three community cards in Hold’em and Omaha, dealt face up after the preflop betting. The same word names the betting round that follows them.
The dealer burns one card and then deals the three cards at once. The remaining two community cards, the turn and the river, come later, one at a time.
Many hands end on the flop, because one player bets and the others fold. Good players choose which flops to continue on according to the cards and their position.
The flop is the first moment you can tell how well your hand connects with the board.
The flop
No-limit Hold’em · Blinds 1/2 chips · No rake
The blinds are 1 and 2 chips. Heads-up, the dealer (D) also posts the small blind.
Read the example transcript
Player A has the button (BTN) and posts the 1-chip small blind (SB). Player B posts the 2-chip big blind (BB).
- Preflop · Pot: 3 chips
The blinds are 1 and 2 chips. Heads-up, the dealer (D) also posts the small blind.
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of hearts (Ah)QQueen of diamonds (Qd) · Stack 199 · In this round 1
- Player B BB 99 of clubs (9c)88 of clubs (8c) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Preflop · Pot: 8 chips
Player A raises to 6 before the flop.
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of hearts (Ah)QQueen of diamonds (Qd) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B BB 99 of clubs (9c)88 of clubs (8c) · Stack 198 · In this round 2
- Preflop · Pot: 12 chips
Player B calls. Each player has put in 6 chips.
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of hearts (Ah)QQueen of diamonds (Qd) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Player B BB 99 of clubs (9c)88 of clubs (8c) · Stack 194 · In this round 6
- Flop · Pot: 12 chips
The first three community cards are dealt together. This is the flop, and a new round of betting follows.
Board: KKing of spades (Ks)77 of diamonds (7d)22 of hearts (2h)
- Player A BTN / SB AAce of hearts (Ah)QQueen of diamonds (Qd) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
- Player B BB 99 of clubs (9c)88 of clubs (8c) · Stack 194 · In this round 0
Cards are shown for learning; totals are displayed before pot collection.